Chanakya’s Teachings

Chānakya (Sanskrit: चाणक्य Cāṇakya (c. 350–283 BCE) was an adviser of the first Maurya Emperor Chandragupta (c. 340–293 BCE), and was the chief architect of his rise to power. Kautilya and Vishnugupta, the names by which the ancient South Asian political treatise called the Arthaśāstra identifies its author, are traditionally identified with Chanakya.^[1] It is important to identify Chanakya as a great Indian because his cultural significance has reached far and wide, and his words are just as internalised in other parts of South Asia. Chanakya has been considered as the pioneer of the field of economics and political science.^[2][3][4][5] In the Western world, he has been referred to as The Indian Machiavelli, although Chanakya’s works predate Machiavelli’s by about 1,800 years.^[6] Chanakya was a teacher in Takṣaśila, an ancient centre of learning, and was responsible for the creation of Mauryan empire, the first of its kind on the Indian subcontinent. His works were lost near the end of the Gupta dynasty and not rediscovered until 1915.^[3]

Chanakaya is the best known Administrator in the court of Indian Kings.Given below are 16 famous sayings of Chanakya (350-283 B.C.). He was the Prime Minister and advisor of the Emperor Chandragupta Maurya. Ashoka the great was the grand son of Chandragupta Maurya. These sayings are now taught to MBA students.     16 Famous Sayings by Chanakya 1) “Learn from the mistakes of others… you can’t live long enough to make them all yourselves!!” 2)”A person should not be too honest. Straight trees are cut first and Honest people are screwed first.” 3)”Even if a snake is not poisonous, it should pretend to be venomous.” 4)”The biggest guru-mantra is: Never share your secrets with anybody. It will destroy you.”   5)”There is some self-interest behind every friendship. There is no friendship without self-interests. This is a bitter truth.” 6)” Before you start some work, always ask yourself three questions – Why am I doing it, What the results might be and Will I be successful. Only when you think deeply and find satisfactory answers to these questions, go ahead.” 7)”As soon as the fear approaches near, attack and destroy it.” 8)”The world’s biggest power is the youth and beauty of a woman.” 9)”Once you start working on something, don’t be afraid of failure and don’t abandon it. People who work sincerely are the happiest.” 10)”The fragrance of flowers spreads only in the direction of the wind. But the goodness of a person spreads in all direction.” 11)”God is not present in idols. Your feelings are your god. The soul is your temple.” 12) “A man is great by deeds, not by birth.” 13) “Never make friends with people who are above or below you in status. Such friendships will never give you any happiness.” 14) “Treat your kid like a darling for the first five years. For the next five years, scold them. By the time they turn sixteen, treat them like a friend. Your grown up children are your best friends.” 15) “Books are as useful to a stupid person as a mirror is useful to a blind person.” 16) “Education is the best friend. An educated person is respected everywhere. Education beats the beauty and the youth.”